I never understood the vitriol that Allen got from his former teammates. They all got into that position in Boston under the same circumstances. Allen was traded from the Sonics and KG was traded from the Timberwolves all under the assumption that teaming up with Pierce would give them the best opportunity to win. None of these guys have a right to criticize anybody for anything.
KG has always been like that. Fiercely loyal, if to a fault. He'll be your best friend or your worst enemy. Funny about the Celtics of the last few seasons. Some of the game's biggest jerks: Pierce ("you can't call that on me, I've got a ring!"), KG, and Rondo. Doc got kinda big-headed too once he got away from coaching a losing team in Orlando. But in his prime, jerk or not, I'd've loved to have KG on the Rockets.
Even now. Both KG and Pierce were traded to the Nets for the opportunity to stay contenders on a winning team. Basically everyone still hates the Heat because they stole the best player on the planet and will have backlash to any player worth a damn that leaves his team to play with them. Ah well, people stay butthurt.
It's not the exact same situation. The issue wasn't that Ray was leaving the Celtics - the team. It was him leaving his team mates on that Celtic team. I'm not casting judgement on him one way or the other but I can see why a guy like KG would think it was a betrayal.
Not the same thing, Ray Allen ditched for less money, coming off a ECF with said Heat. The Celtics are in rebuilding and decided to move the players/players agreed as well.
The Celtics were shopping Ray Allen around during the season that year and signed Jason Terry. Not like they were fully committed to Ray.
I don't really see it as the same thing. Celtics wanted KG and Pierce traded, vs wanting to keep Allen. KG and Pierce wouldn't have been mad at Allen if he had been traded. Also Rondo was still healthy when Allen left, vs being out for probably half the year this season. Allen got more grief than he deserved, but I don't really consider Garnett and Pierce as being hypocritical.
Exactly, he was in trade rumors constantly throughout the season. Then he had rifts with Rondo on top of it. LeBron is speaking the truth here. They killed Ray for leaving then waived their trade clause and bounced to a different situation for a better opportunity soon as they wanted to.
I think going to the Heat was the unforgivable part. Go to any other team apart from the Heat or the Lakers.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>KG on LeBron's comments about his departure from Boston: "Tell LeBron to worry about Miami. He has nothing to do with Celtic business."</p>— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/KBergCBS/statuses/391036036828372992">October 18, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
If KG and Pierce wanted to stay in Boston, they'd still be there. They left because they saw a better chance at getting a ring in Brooklyn, which is the exact same reason Ray left. That bit about Rondo being healthy is nonsense. If you're going to have this whole "team for life" mentality, you don't get a pass when the cards are down. KG and Pierce are hypocritical chiildren.
Everything about this is dumb. 1. Celtics were obviously in need of rebuilding when Allen left. They should have blown up the team then. 2. Allen is apparently the only one to realize, so I don't see why he should get the blame. 3. Celtics were saying he was slowing down anyway and weren't showing him a lot of love. Don't see how you can demand loyalty back. 4. You could say the departure of KG, Pierce, and Rivers was fallout from the loss of Allen -- it didn't make sense to go on without him. But, in truth, it didn't make sense to go on with him either. Boston wasn't contending anymore and needed a rebuild. 5. Ironic that it's James reproaching Celtics players for criticizing disloyalty. Loyalty is not a vice that ever afflicted him. 6. In the end, who cares. They're Eastern Conference and whichever makes it out will lose to the Rockets in the Finals.